All cities, whether we are aware of it or not, possess, within their eminently popular nature, a multitude of stories, legends and traditions, which, leaving aside such an absurd issue, deep down, such as temporality, make up a legacy culture, which is worth knowing.
From its origins to our days, Madrid -the same city that thousands of years ago the Romans called Madritum and a few thousand years less, the Arabs knew it as Magerit- continues to be an emporium of traditions -some more legendary than others- where the fantastic and the supernatural, have a special place, associating themselves not only with historical figures -such as the famous Knight of Grace, whose duel with another Don Juanesque knight gave rise to the supernatural legend of Desengaño Street- but also with places where Nature unfolds generously her charms, regardless of the man's action.
Such would be, for example, the case of the most monumental park in Madrid and by default, the one that has the most enthusiasm and attraction for the thousands of foreign tourists or even for the thousands of Spanish tourists, who visit us at any time of the year: the Retiro Park.
The Retiro Park, according to the old chronicles, created by the Count-Duke of Olivares for the enjoyment of King Felipe IV -whose magnificent equestrian sculpture located in front of the Royal Palace, is possibly one of the ones that receives the most selfies from visitors - of who was his favorite or adviser, responds to that sumptuous tradition, so evident among monarchies and powerful noble houses, of providing themselves, for their exclusive delight, with gardens, whose design and ornamentation, not in vain, responded to the name of whims, because as such they were conceived.
Among these whims, making metaphorical verses in the always flowery book of Nature, mythological themes and by default, the fantastic and the supernatural -in the 17th and 18th centuries interest in esotericism also began to be added, which would remain very fashionable , until well into the 20th century - intermingled, making the experience of the walks, games and parties that took place in these selected places, also covered with a breath of unreality, which could sometimes be compared, with the environments characteristic of fairy tales.
In this way, many of the artificial elements that so excite visitors who access the Retiro Park for the first time, regardless of the time in which they were designed -from the original gift of the Count-Duke of Olivares to King Felipe IV, barely nothing remains, like the port and the pier that were in the current Great Pond - they usually keep behind them, more or less original legends, which regardless of whether they are believed or not, give a certain added charm.
One of the most widespread legends, dating back to the time of King Felipe V, is the one that affirmed the existence of an intrusive Duende (Goblin), but amazingly benefactor, who had settled in the gardens, making them always appear splendid and as a general rule, he avoided all contact with human beings, to the point that popular tradition came to affirm that meeting him was a sign that good luck would always accompany you, although this fortuitous encounter could be as extremely difficult or impossible, as meeting the famous Gordo (Fatman) of the Christmas Lottery.
In the 1980s, the Madrid City Council, in order to make everything related to the Park and the stories related to it more attractive, commissioned the sculptor, José Noja, to reproduce such an illustrious supernatural being, which today can be seen by anyone who passes through the area where the old Menagerie was and takes a look, more specifically, at the house of the bears, on whose roof, sitting, with his characteristic Phrygian cap on his head and playing a flute, our curious and at the same time beloved character, it can add a picturesque note to your walk.
The legend gains strength even now that winter is coming to an end and spring is beginning to make itself felt in the environment and there are those who blame the magical music that springs from the Duende's flute, which many of the species that make up the wonderful gardens, begin to awaken from their lethargy, like lilacs and cherry trees, a sign that life is shaking off the lethargy of winter and announcing, by the way, the proximity of a great awakening, which will amaze everyone again, with that great explosion of life and color, which always precedes spring.
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NOTICE: Both the text, as well as the photographs that accompany it, as well as the video that illustrates it, are my exclusive intellectual property and, therefore, are subject to my Copyright.
Love Madrid!
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